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Monday,
August 5, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Let us live in peace, Farooq tells Pak Ticket seekers rush to Omar
2 more outfits opt out of poll |
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Let us live in peace, Farooq tells Pak Srinagar, August 4 Speaking at the inaugural session of the All-India Haj Conference at the SKICC here this morning, Dr Abdullah lamented Pakistan’s role in fomenting communal trouble in the country. He said that the continued trouble at the behest of Pakistan led to the killing of innocent Hindus in the country. The Chief Minister added that the communal divide would deepen till the trouble from across the border was stopped. Convener Central Haj Committee, Tanveer Ahmad informed the conference that the Haj Committee Bill had been passed giving representation to all zones of the country and the Haj management would be streamlined. He, however, added that the present Haj Committee would function to carry on the work relating to Haj early next year till the constitution of a new committee under the Haj Committee Bill-2002. The Convener Haj Committee also gave a report on measures taken to stream line the procedures. The Chief Minister gave detail of the facilities requirements of Haj pilgrims during annual Haj pilgrimage, these were being discussed for the first time at a conference in Jammu and Kashmir. Delegates from different states of country are participating in the conference organised by the Haj Committee (India). It was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah. Spread over four sessions, the conference was addressed by Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, Union Minister of State for Defence, Chaman Lal Gupta and Chairman, Haj Committee (India), Tanveer Ahmad. The Consular General of India, Jeddah, Syed Akbaruddin was also present. The Chief Minister expressed concern over the organisations like the RSS and the (VHP) Vishwa Hindu Parishad to raise the bogey of subsidy being given to the Haj pilgrims. Dr Farooq Abdullah stressed the need for streamlining further the procedures of travel for the Haj pilgrims, their accommodation in Saudia Arabia. He asked the departments concerned of the state government to minimise as much as possible the strength of the Haj delegation. He said that arrangements should also be taken for most convenient accommodation for the Haj pilgrims from India at the holy city of Mecca during the Haj period. He said that deputations would be sent to Saudi Arabia well in advance for arranging the most suitable places of accommodation for Haj pilgrims from different parts of the country. The Chief Minister also asked the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and Convener State Haj Committee Mr Parvez Dewan, to ensure proper training for intending Haj pilgrims, particular from rural areas and belonging to the weaker sections, in all respects including the use of modern toilet systems. In his inaugural address, National Conference president and Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah said that there were continued efforts on to improve all facilities including accommodation and transportation of the Haj pilgrims. He said that out of a total of 1.10 lakh pilgrims from India who performed Haj last year, 70,000 were sent through Haj Committee while 40,000 others were had gone through private travel agencies. Mr Abdullah said there was a plan to provide uptodate information about the location and welfare of the pilgrims to their family members within the state and the country. He said that suggestions were also being received to provide a uniform luggage system to the pilgrims, as the weight would become heavier than permitted. About the subsidy being given to the Haj pilgrims, the Minister said that it could not be possible to abolish it at the present scenario and this facility would be given only to those who were not income tax payers. |
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Ticket seekers rush to Omar Jammu, August 4 After the installation of Mr Omar Abdullah, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, as President of the National Conference, the ticket seekers, including sitting MLAs and ministers, have been found keeping young Abdullah in good humour. Since the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, continues to dominate the show in the organisation and in the government, the opinion of Mr Omar Abdullah will carry weight as far as the selection of party candidates is concerned. In the 1996 poll, the National Conference had fielded its candidates in 81 of the 87 constituencies as it had a secret understanding with the CPM and the BSP. This time it has plans to contest all seats in case it does not yield to the pressure mounted on it by Leftists who want at least three seats to be left for them. Of the 81 seats it contested, the National Conference had won 57 and hence this performance, coupled with several MLAs from the Congress and the Janata Dal having joined the party, has inflated the list of ticket seekers. Two Congress MLAs, Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Minister for Social Welfare, and Mr R.S. Sharma, have joined the National Conference. Another organisation that lost all its representatives in the Assembly constituted in October, 1996, is the Janata Dal. This party had contested 77 seats and won five. While four, Mr Dilawar Mir, Mr Jagjeevan Lal, Mr Sat Paul and Mr Abdul Gani Malik have joined the National Conference, the fifth member, Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey, has crossed over to the Congress. The Janata Dal is being considered as a “non-entity” for the ensuing Assembly poll. In 1996, the Congress had hopes of turning the tables on the National Conference and hence it had fielded its candidates in 84 of the 87 constituencies and bagged seven seats. Congress managers in Delhi want the party to field candidates in not less than 80 constituencies in the coming poll. Since the party has been plagued by groupism, these managers have formed an opinion that instead of concentrating on 20 to 30 seats, all senior party leaders be given the ticket so that there is no dissidence in the party which can affect its plan of winning at least 25 seats. In the 1996 Assembly poll, the BJP had contested 53 seats and won from eight constituencies, all in the Jammu region. At that time it had no electoral understanding with any party. However, this time a state morcha, headed by the RSS, is demanding a share from the cake. The morcha has conveyed to the BJP leadership that it will throw its weight behind the BJP candidates provided the party leaves at least five to six constituencies for morcha candidates. With the BJP losing its shine in the Jammu region and its win in the Kashmir valley having been wound up, the Election Management committee, headed by Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, has been told that it would be better for the party to contest from not more than 35 constituencies in the state so that through improved management and concentration it could improve its winning figures from the 1996 poll. The BSP continues to be a force to reckon with. However, groupism in the party, coupled with opposition from the Congress and the BJP, in case it does not have a seat adjustment with the BJP, may prevent the BSP candidates from cashing in on the support of Dalit voters. In 1996, it had contested 32 seats and won four, despite the fact that it was in the fifth place as far as polling percentage was concerned. It had polled 6.45 per cent of the total polled votes of over 24.80 lakh. The National Conference had polled 34.70 per cent, followed by the Congress with 20 per cent, the BJP with 12.62 per cent and the Janata Dal 10.91 per cent. The Panthers Party had polled 1.75 per cent, despite the fact that it had fielded its candidates from 44 constituencies and won only one seat. The current situation indicates that the PDP, headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, may prove a dark horse in case it is able to carry the voters’ support into the ballot boxes. It has to be careful on one count. If it, like the Congress and the BJP, tries to contest from more than 30 seats, it may be difficult for this organisation, having poor resources and manpower, to garner the support of the voters. But the National Conference has a real rival in the PDP within the Kashmir valley. During its four-year existence, it has won two seats in Assembly byelections in Bijebehara and Langet, but fared badly in the March bypoll for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat. Its candidate could not poll more than 15,000 votes. Hence, Mufti has to be a bit cautious. |
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2 more outfits opt out of poll Srinagar, August 4 The J and K Democratic Liberation Party of Hashim Qureshi and expelled Jamaat-i-Islami leader Abdul Khaliq Haneef, one of the brains behind the formation of a ‘Third Front’ in the state, said they would not participate in the elections. “India by announcing the election has lost a golden opportunity to solve the Kashmir issue,” Qureshi said. “We are not against the democratic process, but when it is carried out over dead bodies, it loses all meaning,” he said after an emergency meeting of the JKDLP. Terming the announcement of the poll schedule as a “deliberate attempt to misguide the world community and human rights organisations”, Qureshi said “nothing will be accepted without the consent of Kashmiris”. In a separate statement, Khaliq Haneef said “the hasty announcement of election dates has exposed India’s intentions once and for all.” Ruling out participation in the elections, he said “polls are no solution to the dispute. India has made the exercise further useless by not qualifying it with an assurance for a solution to Kashmir issue.” Criticising India for rejecting US suggestions on J and K polls, Haneef said “just when international efforts to solve Kashmir issue are in full swing, India has called for elections.” Qureshi said “all political parties were hoping that government will invite people of the state for a meaningful dialogue before the polls but it has lost that opportunity.” Dialogue alone could solve the Kashmir problem and bridge the gap between India and Pakistan, he said, adding “without talks nothing is going to happen in favour of India, Pakistan and the entire region.” The Hurriyat Conference and the JKDFP have already rejected the elections saying “they have nothing to do with them. We want a permanent solution to the Kashmir dispute.”
PTI |
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Separatists hail formation of Kashmir panel
New Delhi, August 4 Mr Shah told PTI over the phone from Srinagar that the committee should rope in as many separatists as possible to find a meaningful and everlasting solution to the Kashmir problem.
PTI |
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